A surgical stoma is generally referred to an opening created surgically in a human body that connects a body cavity to an outside environment for draining waste such as urine and fecal matter, outside the body cavity. Typically, the surgical stoma is a diverted biological system which involves bisecting intestine or colon portion of gastrointestinal tract and providing an exit for the waste in an abdominal region. Various surgical procedures are known in the art such as colostomy, ileostomy, and the like, for creating surgical stoma. During colostomy, a surgical opening is created in a large intestine of a human body for removal of fecal matter out of the body, bypassing the rectum. Similarly, during ileostomy a surgical opening is created in a small intestine of a human body for removal of intestinal waste.
A pouching system is used for collection of the waste from the surgical stoma. Typically, the pouching system includes a collection bag such as a drain pouch, and the like, and a drainage tube attached to the collection bag. The collection bag is configured to collect waste and the drainage tube is configured to be inserted into a surgical stoma to allow continuous drainage of waste from the surgical stoma into the collection bag. Alternatively, the pouching system may be provided with a mounting plate, commonly referred to as a wafer, for attachment to a surface around the surgical stoma. The mounting plate helps to keep the drainage tube intact on the human body for draining the waste directly into the collection bag. Drainage of the waste from the surgical stoma is involuntary as a user is unable to control the flow of the drainage of the waste and as such has to keep the pouching system attached to the body. However, involuntary drainage of the waste from the surgical stoma into the collection bag may also lead to bursting of the collection bag due to excessive waste collection. Further, uninterrupted use of the pouching system impedes activities of the user such as taking a shower, exercising, and the like and as such the pouching system is inconvenient and uncomfortable for the user.
To address the above, attempts have been made to provide a means for controlling involuntary drainage of waste from the surgical stoma into the collection bag. One such attempt is a use of an occluding device such as a plug. In use, the occluding device blocks the surgical stoma for a period of time. Thereafter, the waste from the surgical stoma is emptied in the collection bag via the drainage tube and the surgical stoma is again occluded with the occluding device. However, the surgically created stoma is incapable of tolerating occlusion for a long period of time and the occlusion may result in pain and discomfort to the user.
Another approach for controlling the drainage of the waste from the surgical stoma includes blocking the drainage tube by twisting the drainage tube. Further, the drainage tube may be blocked with the help of a fastening device, such as a clamp. The drainage tube may be folded and kept collapsed. For draining the waste from the surgical stoma, the drainage tube may be unfolded and connected to the collection bag. However, such twisting, folding and collapsing of the drainage tube may affect the structural integrity of the tube, and, as such, leakage of the waste from the surgical stoma may take place prior to the collection in the collection bag.
Further, the conventional methods known in the art for draining waste from the surgical stoma are incapable of allowing gases produced in a body of the user to exit. Accumulation of the gases in the body of the user may lead to severe medical complications for the user. Also, the gases accumulated in the body of the user may cause bursting of the collection bag and/or leakage in the drainage tube.
Accordingly, there exists a need to preclude involuntary drainage of waste from a surgical stoma. Further, there exists a need to control drainage of waste from a surgical stoma without compromising the health, safety and comfort of a user. Furthermore, there exists a need for an easy and efficient way of releasing gases produced in a body of a user having a surgical stoma.